Ars Amatoria Theme Challenge: Nick and Madison
by BlueDolphinz
Summary: Ars Amatoria Theme Challenge: Fire and Water, two completely opposite forces. Nick and Madison, the Light and the Blue Mystic Ranger. Watch their relationship progress through the season, their shy glances, their obvious attraction, as they fall in love.
1. Friends

AN: So I decided to try something new, from one of my favourite shows (Mighty Morphin' at that time) from when I was a kid. We all know Kimberly and Tommy are perfect for each other, Madison and Nick's relationship has so much more room for imagination. Right now I'm just starting off with actual moments from the season, but in later chapters I will create some scenes which we wish happened. Enjoy!

**Ars Amatoria Theme Challenge: Madison and Nick**

**Friends**

She watched him from the store window, as he tinkered with his bike. There had definitely been a different air about him than in any other guy she had known. He was... serious, focused, closed up. Not a hint of a smile, or a frown, just that levelled, grey-green gaze. She didn't know what made her go up and say hi. She was shy, she barely talked to guys outside of Xander and Chip. But something about Nick told her that he wasn't going to shoot her down immediately.

"Hey there."

He looked up from his bike, "Hey."

She stuffed her hands in her pockets, nervously scuffing the toe of her sneaker against the leaves lying on the grass, "We sure could have used your help back there."

He shrugged going back to his bike, "I don't think there was anything I could have done." He began fiddling with the handlebars.

She nodded, "So, um, while we're out there in the world fighting evil, what are you going to do?"

He sighed, seemingly irritated at the bike, "Well first, I'm gonna fix my bike," he swung a leg over the vehicle, sitting down and meeting her eyes for a couple seconds before turning his attention back to the handlebars, "Then I'll head to my grandparents to see if I can live there instead of with my sister in Briarwood."

She grimaced sympathetically, "No parents?"

He looked up from his handlebars thoughtfully, "Hmmm... you are nosy..." she smiled slightly, looking at the ground and back again. "Yes, I have parents, they're working overseas for a few years. I was living with my cousins for a while, then my Uncle," he paused for a moment with an air of resignation, "Now my sister."

He had no idea why he was telling her all this. It wasn't like him to talk to people much, nothing beyond his name. And in return, people didn't talk to him. But here she was, a pretty girl— just because he didn't talk to people much didn't mean he didn't have eyes— somewhat shy from the looks of it, trying her best to strike up a conversation with him. He didn't have any sense of inhibition with her, for once he wasn't guarding what he said.

"Must be hard," she said, "Leaving friends all the time."

He was looking straight at her now, "Usually don't stay around long enough to have friends." It was true. He always had been somewhat of a loner, he wasn't the best socialiser out there, and as far as he was concerned, it was just him and his bike.

"You know you could."

He got off his bike, twirling a part in his hand.

"I mean," she continued, shrugging, "You could stay somewhere longer. Yeah, like... here, maybe."

Oh no, they weren't going there. He didn't care how pretty this girl was, he wasn't going to let her coerce him into staying, into helping them do their whole saving the world thing. Not that he could, anyway, the magic didn't work for him.

"Look, I'd love to hang and talk to you here all day," he said abruptly, "But I've still got a lot of work to do on my bike and—"

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry," she said immediately, smiling nervously, "I- I was trying...um...I'm gonna leave you to it." She turned away, dragging her feet through the leaf strewn grass. And suddenly he felt this warm feeling coursing through him that he had never felt before, he felt wanted. For once, someone had asked him to stay.

"Hey look," he found himself saying suddenly, "I- I really appreciate what you're trying to do, trying to say," she took a few steps forward, "But, I guess I'm just not cut out for all this magic stuff like you guys." She nodded, rolling her eyes slightly, "But," he pressed on sincerely, "Good luck."

"Yeah," she said, "You too." She gestured to his bike. She turned away again, heading back to the store. He stared after her for a few seconds before turning back to his bike. That warm feeling still hadn't gone away. For a few moments, he considered staying. Her words echoed in his mind, _"I mean, you could stay somewhere longer..."_ Along with that shy little smile. Friends. He could have real friends, people like her. But then he shook his head. What was he thinking? Nick Russell didn't have friends, ever.

But as soon as he saw that vision of Koragg defeating the four Rangers, he knew he had to help. And now they were a team, he was going to stay, and he had friends. And watching them laugh at him and Leelee Pemvari brought back that same warm feeling from before. The whole Ranger job was worth staying for, but what really sealed the deal was Madison's smile when he said he would stay. Maybe he could hang around long enough to make friends... especially if those friends included Madison.

AN: So I hoped you liked it, please review! I'll update as soon as I can.

Love,

oxBluexo


	2. Guilt

AN: I know, this is very, very short. But there's another part to it, a continuation, I'm just posting it under two different themes. This one is in the middle of Rock Solid.

**Guilt**

It was his entire fault, really. And Vida was definitely not going to let him forget it. She glared, she yelled, she told him he was clueless.

He supposed he had been somewhat of an idiot. He really had no idea why. He liked Madison, she had been his first friend in Briarwood, and he really had no problems being the subject of her filming. It's just, when she came in, he found himself wondering whether she ever got out, went on dates, had fun with something besides her camera.

And Wintergreen. He had to laugh at that one. She wasn't the most spontaneous person on the planet, but she was just so _cute_.

Maybe he shouldn't have told her she was making excuses, and then maybe she wouldn't have gotten mad and left and then got turned into stone. Who was that guy with her anyway? What business did he have worrying about Maddie?

Vida jolted him out of this train of thought, "This is why she always hides behind the camera."

She pointed her wand at Madison's video camera, which began playing the last recording. Nick watched as Madison talked about Vida, Xander, and Chip (Wow, they had been friends since grade school). And then he saw himself projected on the screen and smiling at the camera, whipping a rag at the lens.

"And then there's Nick," Madison's voice rang through the room, "The new guy in town," Something about her tone made that warm feeling come back again, "We don't know much about him yet, but I can tell. He's special."

Madison just called him special, he was special to her. This was how she had fun, and he liked it. He liked _her_.

Vida was right. He had been completely clueless. About everything.

AN: See what I mean? Short. But the next one is longer. REVIEW!!!


	3. Green Eyed Monster

AN: Here's the next one. It's right after Rock Solid, where the episode ends. This is where I start adding in scenes of my own, so it isn't completely kids-only romance. Enjoy.

**Green- Eyed Monster**

He had been completely clueless about everything. Including his feelings for Madison. She was pretty, she was nice, she was so sweet and shy and it made him want to protect her even more. Except right now, she didn't look like she needed much protecting. She was laughing. No, she was _giggling. _With (hopefully at, but that was just wishful thinking) some guy. Nick knew there was something fishy about that guy hanging around Maddie after she was turned into a statue.

His name was Ben. He had initiated a conversation with Maddie in the park the day she had gone away upset. So, Nick supposed, in an indirect way, it really was his fault that this Ben guy was all over Maddie right now. But he wasn't in the mood to play the blame game. He was in the mood to either throw this guy out of the Rock Porium, or punch his face in, preferably both.

Oh, he knew those types, all cute and flirty, coming in front of shy girls' and sweeping them off their feet. Madison would be much better off with someone else.

_'Someone like you?_ ' a snide voice in his head suggested. He ignored it. Madison giggled again and he gritted his teeth, his hands involuntarily curling into fists.

"What's wrong with you?" Vida asked, bopping her head to her music.

"Huh?"

"You look like you're ready to kill someone."

He was. But Vida didn't have to know he was harbouring murderous intents towards her sister's... friend.

He shrugged, "Madison's really trying to get out of her shell right?"

"Yeah," Vida went back to her turntables, "But if that guy hurts my sister, he's going to have me to deal with."

"Me too," Nick muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he said immediately.

Unfortunately for him, Vida wasn't stupid. Throughout their entire conversation, his eyes hadn't left Madison and Ben for a second. And they hadn't stopped glaring at the tall blonde guy who was flirting with her sister like no tomorrow.

"Nick, you're not jealous are you?"

That caught his attention as he snapped his head around, "What makes you think that?"

She shrugged, "Well we all know you have a crush on Maddie... yes it is that obvious," she added, apparently catching the look of incredulity on his face, "Even Xander noticed."

Well. Nick certainly hadn't been expecting that. "It doesn't matter much now, does it?" he said sourly.

"You never know," Vida said, "I think she likes you too. You know, that whole twin connection thing. She'll get over this Ben guy in a while. Just so you know Nick, don't tell her she hides behind the camera again. Because you know, you kind of caused that over there," she waved a hand in the direction of Madison and Ben, "But trust me, he's just one of those guys in passing that thinks Maddie's the cutest girl they've ever seen—"

"—she is," Nick interjected, "Wait. What other guys?"

Vida laughed, "You really have that jealousy thing down. Relax. She likes you. Just give her a bit of time."

"Right." Vida's words hand planted a small seed of hope in his mind. But then he looked across the store and saw Madison with Ben, and the green monster reared its head up again.

AN: Hope you liked! PLEASE REVIEW!!

oxBluexo


	4. Quest

AN: I wasn't quite sure whether I had put this under the right theme, but it seems the best to me, since there's not exactly a trust theme. This takes place between Fireheart and Stranger Within 1. I always wondered why the producers keep making Vida go with Nick and not Madison... but that idea will come up later in the series. This one is on why Madison doesn't go with Nick. Enjoy.

**Quest**

He attempted to make sense of the torn map, turning it to the side and then back, wondering what could possibly lie on the other half. He found himself staring at the lines without really registering them, his thoughts already jumping to an incident that had been plaguing him ever since yesterday's little quest.

"Hey," the subject of his thoughts plopped down next to him, "Still working on that map?"

He shrugged, "Trying to. It's not going so well."

"Why not?"

"Just you know, got a lot on my mind..."

"Like what?" He concealed a smile at that. Madison was always curious.

"Like where your sister is when she's supposed to be here." He swore he saw her expression drop a little bit.

"That's what's been bugging you?"

"Among other things..." Other things that he was extremely ashamed of, and felt almost childish for thinking of them. "And before you ask what those are—" he said as she opened her mouth again, "—they're not important."

She smiled shyly at his correct assumption, "Don't want to share, huh?"

He shrugged again, shifting his eyes to the map again. His mind still focused on the girl next to him, wondering what she had been thinking, what was going through her head.

"Madison?" He asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I'm a good leader?"

"Sure Nick," she said immediately.

"No, I mean, _you_, I mean, completely personally, without thinking of the team, would you be willing to follow me? As in, you know, like the quest we went on yesterday, like that?"

She nodded. He cast his gaze across Rootcore to where Chip and Xander were dozing, having exhausted their mental prowess on the map long ago. What he was about to say was so ridiculously childish, he didn't want Xander and Chip, friends though they were, to hear it.

"Why didn't you then?"

"Why didn't I what?"

"You know, come with me instead of Xander?" He felt his face heat up and averted his gaze to anything but her surprised look.

"Is that what you've been moody about since yesterday?" She said laughingly.

"Well... yes," he said almost defiantly, he didn't particularly think it was a laughing matter. He liked her, as if believing another guy's word over his was going to make him feel like she returned his feelings.

"Does it matter?" She asked. Oh, right. Madison didn't have any idea about his feeling for her.

_'And whose fault is that?_' asked that little voice in his head. Obviously his own. Nick felt like he was blaming himself for a lot of things lately.

"Sort of, yeah," he heard himself saying, "I mean, it's not exactly reassuring that you trust Xander more than me."

"It's not that I don't trust you Nick, it's just that... well, I've known Xander since middle school... and you're—"

"—the new guy?" That hurt, coming from her, "I see how it is." He absolutely refused to meet her gaze, staring pensively into another direction.

"Nick..." He didn't respond. He was close enough to feel her hesitate, before her arms wrapped around his shoulders, "I do trust you Nick. Just as much as I trust Xander. You know I don't quite go with new things right? Xander leading is familiar, but being led by Phineas? Someone I barely knew? I couldn't quite wrap my head around that. And Xander's offer of three shifts kind of sealed the deal," she admitted guiltily.

He was mollified by the end of her little speech, winding an arm around her waist, "I'm sorry I was so childish, but, your opinion does matter to me Maddie."

She smiled at him, "It's fine, I understand. And next time, I promise, I will stick with you."

"Is there going to be a next time?"

She grinned, "Well once we solve the map we have to follow it don't we?"

"I suppose we do... even though this whole quest business is more of Chip's thing."

"What are you guys doing?" Xander's already accented voice made thicker with sleep came from across the room.

"Solving the map," said Nick, his arm remaining secure around Madison, preventing her from pulling away, "You can go back to sleep." Xander was only too happy to take the suggestion.

And as Madison leaned back against him, warm and soft, and as they both examined the map together, Nick didn't think that the quest had been so fruitless after all.

AN: So what do you think? Tell me in a REVIEW!!!

Love,

Blue


	5. One Moment

AN: I think this one does fit in with the prompt. This one's set during Stranger Within I and II. I loved that moment in Stranger Within II, and I'm pretty sure all the other Nick/Maddie fans did too, and went "Awww!" Way too cute a couple that does _not_ get enough credit. Anyway, enough of my talk. Enjoy!

**One Moment**

Madison knew her sister could take care of herself. But that didn't stop her from worrying. She was the more sensible twin after all, Vida being the reckless counterpart. And some of Vida's more reckless endeavours had led to Madison's automatic worry sensors becoming slightly immune. So when Vida didn't show up for their nocturnal crack at the map, Madison didn't immediately begin worrying. However, when Vida came back, was revealed to be a vampire, was 'rescued', revealed to _still_ be a vampire, and then proceeded to pull another disappearing act, Madison rightfully thought she had a right to be worried. Her nerved were absolutely grated. Her turned-vampire sister had tricked them and run away (thanks to Xander, she couldn't help but think bitterly), and she had no idea where she was. Madison was quite ready to cry. Vida could be anywhere.

"Maybe she was left town, maybe she was taken, maybe she—" Madison found her near hysterical maybe's cut off by Nick, who had been trying all night to convince her that Vida would be fine.

"—We'll find her, Maddie," He circled an arm around her shoulders, drawing her in closer, his hand gently rubbing in circles on her neck. She could see the grey and green mixing in his eyes, "I promise." And just for a moment, everything seemed alright, her Vida was fine, completely human, and safe, and she wasn't beside herself with worry. Then the door opened and she looked up, seeing her sister seemingly intact.

"Vida!"

--~*~--

Nick didn't like seeing Madison so worried. She had been fine the first night Vida didn't show up. He involuntarily smiled in memory of their little chat that night. But—he really should be focusing on the issue at hand—Madison was sick with anxiety over her sister, and so far nothing he had said all night had helped. They'd searched the forest on their racers; Vida was nowhere to be found. Chip continued presiding over an overflowing cauldron, concentrating on making the Dawn Crystal to kill Necrolai and free Vida from her vampirific clutches, and consequently not being of any particular help. Xander continued beating himself up over letting Vida out of the circle.

So he'd taken over being Madison's chief comforter—not that he didn't want the job in the first place—and he had to say, he wasn't exactly the best person for it. Still, he automatically reached out to her the moment she seemed like she would hit her breaking point. She was near hysterical, wondering what in the world had happened to her sister. And even though he cared for Vida as a teammate and a friend, he was overcome by the desire to comfort and protect Madison. So he pulled her into a half-hug, in front of Xander and everything (knowing he was setting himself up for endless teasing after everything was back to normal), and promised her that they would find Vida. Seeing the sudden hope in her eyes made him feel better, and more assured about his rash promise.

The door opened, Madison's head shot up, and she shot out of his arm to fling herself at her sister. And Nick was happy that Vida had come back, happy that Madison was happy, but damn did he miss being so close to her and damn was he jealous of Vida at the moment. He had never been a touchy-feely person, but of course, Madison had ended up flipping everything he had thought about himself a complete one-eighty. It was just that... in that one moment, when she was tucked into him(perfectly, of course), looking at him with such hope, everything was alright.

AN: Hope you liked! I'm going to go to sleep now. REVIEW, as always!


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